Wayanad urged to turn coffee into branded products for global markets
A seminar in Wayanad has called for greater processing, packaging and branding of the district’s coffee to increase its export value and farmer incomes. Mananthavady MLA Usha Vijayan also urged more opportunities for young people and women in production, value-added goods, marketing and other parts of the coffee industry.
Wayanad coffee should be processed, packaged and branded for global markets rather than sold only as an agricultural commodity, Mananthavady MLA Usha Vijayan said on Tuesday. Vijayan was speaking at a seminar held at the Wayanad Social Service Society hall in Mananthavady as part of activities marking International Coffee Day. The day is observed on October 1.
She said concerted efforts were needed to make better use of coffee’s export potential and improve incomes for farmers in Wayanad. The MLA called for greater participation by young people and women in the sector. She said new entrepreneurial opportunities could be developed in processing, production of value-added products, packaging, branding and marketing, in addition to cultivation.
Her remarks focused on increasing the value retained within the region by moving beyond the sale of unprocessed coffee. The source material did not specify particular products, markets or targets for the proposed expansion. The seminar was organised jointly by the Keralam government, the Coffee Board, the KERA project, the Wayanad Coffee Growers Association, the South Indian Coffee Growers Association and the Kerala FPO-FPC Consortium.
The event formed part of the build-up to International Coffee Day. It brought together organisations connected with government support, coffee promotion, growers and farmer-producer groups. The participants’ stated focus was on processing, branding and market access as ways to strengthen the coffee economy and create additional opportunities for farmers and other people involved in the sector.
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